Karnataka Deputy CM Shivakumar accuses BJP of politicising Dharmasthala case
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Hans India
17 minutes ago
- Hans India
Rahul, Tejashwi launch ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra' from Sasaram, accuse BJP of ‘robbing' elections
The 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav began from Sasaram on Sunday with a massive rally at the Airport Ground. The event saw the presence of senior leaders, including RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rabri Devi, CPI-ML General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, Bhupesh Baghel and VIP chief Mukesh Sahani. Flagging off the yatra, Lalu Prasad Yadav briefly addressed the crowd with his trademark style, delivering his famous line 'Lagal Lagal Jhulania Me Dhakka Balam Kalkata Chale', and thanked Rahul Gandhi, Kharge, and other INDIA bloc leaders for their support. Addressing the gathering, Rahul Gandhi launched a sharp attack on the BJP, accusing it of robbing democracy. He said, 'BJP is not in power through democracy but through the robbery of elections. Be it the Lok Sabha or the Assembly, the BJP is winning by stealing votes. The same conspiracy is being carried out in Bihar through Special Intensive Revision (SIR). But we will not let this succeed.' Citing examples, Rahul Gandhi alleged that in Maharashtra, one crore new voters were mysteriously added to the list within four months of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, helping the BJP capture power. In Karnataka, he claimed, about one lakh votes were stolen in a single Assembly segment of a Lok Sabha seat, leading to the BJP's win. 'This is a direct attack on democracy,' he warned. Gandhi assured the crowd that the Mahagathbandhan would resist any such conspiracy, saying, 'This is Bihar. People here know the power of their vote. If there is an attack on democracy, Biharis will be the first to rise against it.' Echoing the charge, Tejashwi Yadav accused the Election Commission of colluding with the BJP. 'This is not just theft of your vote; this is outright robbery. Narendra Modi wants to cheat Biharis. But this is Bihar, where lime is rubbed with khaini. People here are poor, but every child knows how to fight with chilli and spice. We will not allow dishonesty at any cost,' he said to loud cheers. The launch of the yatra has further heated the political atmosphere in Bihar ahead of the Assembly polls. Over the next 16 days, the campaign will cover 25 districts before culminating in a grand rally at Patna's Gandhi Maidan on September 1.
The Wire
17 minutes ago
- The Wire
Modi's Three Sudarshan Chakras: From Mythic Precision to Military Confusion
New Delhi: The BJP-led government penchant – and the Indian military brass's support – for christening platforms, projects, formations and doctrines with Hindu mythological names intended to evoke grandeur and a continuing sense of epic valour, at times also tend to breed confusion. The latest such example is the repeated use of 'Sudarshan Chakra,' Lord Vishnu's celestial discus – meant to symbolise speed, precision, and the destruction of evil – which has blurred the line between an imported air-defence system and a planned indigenous blanket shield against aerial threats, slated for 2035. The first Sudarshan Chakra As we know, the 'Sudarshan Chakra' already refers to the five Russian S-400 'Triumf' air-defence systems India acquired in October 2018 for an estimated $5.43 billion. Three were commissioned from 2021 onwards, with the remaining two slated for delivery next year. This Sudarshan Chakra was actively deployed during Operation Sindoor across northern and western India as part of the air-defence grid, successfully intercepting incoming threats and reportedly downing five Pakistan Air Force fighters. along with a large military surveillance platform at ranges of around 300 km inside neighbouring enemy territory. Announcing this development on August 9, more than three months US President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire which 'paused' Operation Sindoor, Air Chief Marshal A. P. Singh described it as the longest recorded surface-to-air kill. Other officials praised the S-400 for living up to its 'Sudarshan Chakra' name, citing its unerring precision, formidable speed, and ability to strike multiple targets, much like Vishnu's divine discus, which, the legend goes, never missed and always returned unerringly to its master. After Operation Sindoor, the S-400 has, for many in government and the military, transcended mere technology to acquire the near-mythical aura of an ancient weapon reborn in the 21st century, enhanced with technical wizardry. It is celebrated not simply as a missile system but as an 'implacable shield,' evoking the divine armour that repelled evil and protected 'Bharat'. Now, take two Meanwhile, the latest 'Sudarshan Chakra' was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Independence Day address as an indigenously developed, multi-layered security shield, slated for completion by 2035, to protect strategic, civilian, and religious sites nationwide. Drawing liberally from mythology, he added that this conceptual Sudarshan Chakra would not only counter terrorist attacks but also strike back at the perpetrators. Official sources later elaborated that the PM's Mission Sudarshan Chakra will integrate land-, sea-, and space-based defences, encompassing the S-400 Sudarshan Chakra, the ongoing Ballistic Missile Defence network, and the secretive Project Kusha, also known as the Extended Range Air Defence System (ERADS). The Defence Research and Development Organisation's (DRDO's) top secret Project Kusha, named after one of Lord Rama's twin sons, Kusha, echoes his mythological role as a guardian. The top-secret Kusha is being designed as a protective shield to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft, incoming cruise and potentially even ballistic missiles. The ambitious Sudarshan Chakra project, akin to Israel's and the US's multi-tiered 'Iron' and 'Golden Dome' space-to-ground defence grids, is also expected to integrate numerous other local air-defence assets, including the upgraded Akash Prime system, all of which performed efficiently during Op Sindoor. A cross-section of veterans and analysts said that this dual use of the 'Sudarshan Chakra' moniker not only creates a 'semantic muddle' but also blurs operational understanding, making it unclear whether one means the existing S-400 missile system or the proposed indigenous, broader air-defence network. 'The overlap confuses soldiers and the public alike,' said a senior Indian Air Force (IAF) veteran. It dilutes clarity between a deployed capability and an aspirational project expected to mature over the next decade, he said, declining to be named. Other military veterans, speaking anonymously, urged the defence establishment to adopt a 'disciplined nomenclature' regimen. One suggested officially distinguishing the two Sudarshan Chakra systems as the S-400 Sudarshan Chakra and the Operation Sudarshan Shield to avoid confusion. Actually, there are three The confusion, however, deepens: 'Sudarshan Chakra' is not only the name of a Russian missile system and a proposed indigenous air-defence network, but also the designation of the Indian Army's XXI Corps, headquartered at Bhopal. The youngest of the Army's three Strike Corps, that constitute its offensive punch into enemy territory, particularly along the western front against Pakistan, XXI corps embodies mobility and concentrated firepower – of armoured divisions, mechanised infantry and artillery. Yet, despite its formidable structure and mythic name, it has largely remained a deterrent formation, rehearsing operational plans rather than unleashing its full might—an ever-ready sword still sheathed in Sudarshan Chakra symbolism. Taking all this into account, the irony in naming a weapon system, the proposed anti-missile shield, and an Army corps 'Sudarshan Chakra' is unmistakable: a weapon once synonymous with divine precision now exists in triplicate across India's military lexicon. One Sudarshan Chakra is a tried and tested Russian air-defence system, another largely exists as PowerPoint slides on missile defence, and the third is an Army corps that has yet to see battle. In many ways, the saga of the three Sudarshan Chakras not only highlights India's reverence for Hindu mythology, but also the defence establishment's willingness to embrace politically-driven, muddled nomenclature. What mythologically symbolised clarity and precision has, in India's military, become an example of branding gone astray – spawning confusion through triplication, much like a typical government directive or a railway reservation slip in times gone by. Ultimately, it's also obvious that without disciplined nomenclature, even the most exalted symbols of India's mythic or actual past can lose their clarity, creating confusion where accuracy is most needed
Hindustan Times
17 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Bihar: Rahul Gandhi launches Voter Adhikar Yatra, accuses BJP of stealing votes
PATNA: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of undermining the Constitution and resorting to electoral malpractices to secure victories while launching a 16-day 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' at Saura airfield ground in Bihar's Rohtas. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav during the 'Voter Adhikar Yatra', in Sasaram, Bihar, on Sunday. (@INCIndia) 'The BJP employs dubious methods, including voter suppression and manipulation of voter lists through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, to disenfranchise millions. The Constitution is under threat. The only power the poor have is their vote, and even that is being stolen,' the leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said, urging the public to unite against such tactics. The yatra, participated by prominent leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc leaders, including RJD chief Lalu Prasad, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of opposition in the Bihar assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and Communist Party of India (Marixist-Leninist) Liberation leader Dipankar Bhattacharya, Aimed at raising public awareness about alleged electoral malpractices and protecting voters' rights ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, it will cover around 1,300 km across 25 districts and culminate in Patna on September 1. Addressing the gathering, Rahul Gandhi cited instances of alleged voter fraud, claiming that in Maharashtra, 1 crore new voters were added to benefit the BJP, and in Karnataka, investigations revealed over 1 lakh votes were manipulated in a single constituency. He underlined the need for a caste census and the removal of the 50% reservation cap, promising that a Congress-led government would implement these measures to ensure justice for marginalised communities. He described the yatra as a 'fight to save democracy' and a movement to safeguard constitutional values and urged the people to protect their voting rights. 'This is not just an election battle; it's a struggle to preserve the soul of India,' he said. RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, addressing the crowd, echoed Gandhi's concerns about electoral integrity, accusing the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) of orchestrating voter suppression through the SIR process, which he claimed could disenfranchise 65 lakh voters in Bihar. 'We have made sacrifices for democracy, and this yatra will flag off a movement akin to a second freedom struggle,' Lalu said. He urged supporters to ensure that every eligible voter is registered and protected from exclusion. Congress chief Kharge accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of failing to address discrepancies in voter data despite having access to all records. 'The Commission asks us for affidavits while the data lies with them. This is a deliberate attempt to shield wrongdoers,' he said, reinforcing the need for transparency in electoral processes. He called the yatra a 'historic fight' to protect the democratic rights of ordinary citizens. Kharge also launched a scathing attack on the BJP and RSS, accusing them of distorting India's history and freedom struggle. He challenged them to name a single individual from the RSS or Hindu Mahasabha who made significant contributions to the country's fight for independence, asserting that their role was negligible compared to the Congress party's sacrifices. Kharge emphasised that the Congress has historically fought for unity and the rights of all citizens, while alleging that the BJP-RSS narrative seeks to undermine the legacy of India's freedom movement for political gain. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav focused on mobilising youth and marginalised communities, emphasising the yatra's role in uniting the Opposition against the BJP's alleged authoritarian tactics. 'This is a fight for the poor, the Dalits, and the backward classes whose voices are being silenced. We will not let their votes be stolen,' he said, promising to amplify the concerns of Bihar's underprivileged through the INDIA alliance. The launch of the Voter Adhikar Yatra in Sasaram has set the stage for a high-stakes political battle in Bihar, which gears up for the 2025 Assembly elections. By focusing on voter suppression and constitutional threats, the Opposition aims to galvanize its base, particularly among marginalised communities, Dalits, and backward classes, who form a substantial portion of Bihar's electorate. The yatra's emphasis on caste census and reservation reforms taps into long-standing demands in the state, potentially consolidating the RJD-Congress vote bank.
